[Jim/GA]

Make a brake adjusting board with the steps in it, like in Les Andrews' book, if you don't already have one, so that you can place the brake pedal in the same 3 reproducible spots time after time. A lot of guys poo-poo this board, but its reproducibility helps when sorting out problems.

One of the unfortunate characteristics of mechanical brakes is that 1 or 2 or 3 brakes that are adjusted too tightly can prevent that amount of brake rod movement from engaging the other wheel(s) properly.

The 4 brake rods are all mechanically bound to each other. They are all forced to move together, and if one wheel stops that movement prematurely, the other rods can't move as far as they need to for proper braking.

The solution, once you identify which wheel(s) are too tight, is to actually loosen the tight wheel(s) a bit. This allows the other brake rods to move a bit further and actuate their brakes more.

With all 4 wheels off the floor, see what amount of braking you have at the 3 "good wheels" when on just the first step of the board. We know there will be none on the 4th wheel. Then do the same at the 2nd and 3rd step of the board. It should be getting progressively tighter. You should not have a wheel lock up on the first step (that's too tight).

If the above does not point you to a wheel that is too tight... After noting the braking force at each wheel for each step on the board, start applying the board in steps with each one of the 3 "good brakes" disconnected. See if that helps get better progressive braking action on the other 3 wheels (including the one that is not braking now). Do this for each of the 3 good wheels, one at a time. This may help you identify which wheel(s) need loosening of braking adjustment. It might be more than one.

The loosening of a tight wheel might be done one of two ways: 1) by lengthening the brake rod a bit at the tight wheel. Make very small changes each time (like 1/2 turn of a clevis) and test again. See if directionally it seems to help. Keep a record of your changes, in case you need to go back.

Or 2) the loosening can be done at the brake adjuster screw at the tight wheel.

Since you have 2 things that you can change at each of the 4 wheels, it can get a bit complicated fast. Take your time, make small changes, and record exactly what you are doing on each wheel at each change. An assistant note-taker helps there.

With the brakes not applied, the shoes should not rub inside the drum. A light brushing touch in one or two spots as the wheel goes around is OK, especially on a wheel with new shoes, but they should not rub all the way around.

Changes to the clevis by 1/2 turn are much finer than changing the adjuster screw. So if you find yourself where one adjuster screw click is too much, go back and take 1/2 clevis turn on that wheel instead.

Good luck. Keep us posted on what you find.